Slovyansk Brigade

Slovyansk Brigade is a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard.

The unit was originally formed in January 1992 as the 13th Regiment of the Ukrainian National Guard, on the basis of a former Soviet Internal Troops unit known as the 26th Battalion. The regiment became part of the 4th Northern Division.

In January 1995, the regiment was transferred to the Internal Troops and was redesignated as the 15th Special Motorized Regiment. Following the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, the regiment was reassigned to the Ukrainian National Guard, becoming the 15th Regiment.

In May 2014, the unit’s base in Luhansk Oblast was seized by pro-Russian separatists, prompting the unit to be redeployed to Kharkiv. It was reorganized, reinforced by guardsmen of disbanded units, and redeployed to Sloviansk as part of the Anti-Terrorist Operation under President Poroshenko.

In 2016, the Donbas Battalion of the Ukrainian National Guard was transferred under the command of the unit. In August 2019, the unit was granted the honorary title “Slovyansk”.

On December 25, 2023, the regiment was reorganized and expanded into the 18th Slovyansk Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard.

In March 2025, the brigade was assigned to the 2nd Khartia Corps of the Ukrainian National Guard.

Insignia

The insignia features a stylized shield with a black border and subdued cream beige canvas. The central imagery depicts a stylized helmet with crossed swords below it. Surrounding the helmet and swords are the brigade’s inscriptions, and the branch abbreviation at the bottom.